Mubarak watched uprising on TV: commission

EGYPT'S Hosni Mubarak watched the uprising against him unfold through a live TV feed to his palace, despite his denial he knew the extent of the protests and crackdown against them, a member of a fact-finding mission says.

The finding could lead to the retrial of the 84-old ousted leader, who's already serving a life sentence.

In questioning for his trial for the deaths of some 900 protesters during the uprising, Mubarak said he was kept in the dark by top aides as to the gravity of the situation during the uprising, and fended off charges he ordered or knew of the deadly force used against the protesters.

Mubarak was still convicted in June of failing to prevent the deaths. But many Egyptians were angered he was not convicted for ordering or having a direct role in the crackdown.

Ahmed Ragheb, a human rights lawyer and a member of the commission, said state TV had designated a coded satellite TV station that fed live material from cameras installed in Tahrir and surrounding areas directly to Mubarak's Palace throughout the 18 days of the uprising.

"Mubarak knew of all the crimes that took place directly. The images were carried to him live, and he didn't even need security reports," Ragheb told The Associated Press. "This entails a legal responsibility" in the violence against the protesters, including the infamous camel battle, where men on horses and camel and other Mubarak supporters stormed the square trying to drive protesters out.

At least 11 people are said to be killed in that attack.

The finding came in a 700-page report on protester deaths the past two years, submitted on Wednesday to President Mohamed Morsi.

Morsi had formed this commission soon after he came to office in June, having promised during his election campaign he will order new retrials for former regime officials if new evidence were revealed.

The commission also found security forces and the military used live ammunition in crackdowns on protesters during the 18-day uprising against Mubarak and during the 17 months of rule by the military that followed his February 11, 2011 fall, Ragheb said.

The military repeatedly denied it used live ammunition against protesters, despite several death caused by bullets and pellets.